The Start of Something
by sanctum-c
Summary: It started with little touches of hands.


It started with little touches of hands. A comforting gesture as they trekked across the wilderness or through the temples. It developed further as they spent more time together, Agnes missing the press of Edea's skin when they separated. They slept in adjacent beds since the journey began but now began pushed the single bunks closer together. They held hands even as they let sleep overwhelm them.

Their first kiss was in the traumatic aftermath of finding and then losing Olivia. Edea had cared for Agnes as much as she could on the way back to Florem but the Vestal's mind was elsewhere. She still dwelled on Victoria's actions and the terminal outcome. Edea dismissed Airy, Tiz and Ringabel on their return, just sitting with her alone. Agnes surprised herself when she kissed Edea's cheek. She had been sitting within the circle of her arms for an infinity of silence. It had been a spur of the moment gesture, a need to communicate a thanks she did not feel up to uttering with words. She did not trust herself to speak without her voice breaking. She felt anxious in the split second after her lips made contact, now worried as the other girl turned her head to stare into her eyes. What had she done? She had acted on impulse, choosing that action rather than perhaps hugging her tighter. A thought she had dismissed more than once loomed large in her mind. She liked Edea. She not used to anything resembling a relationship - no time or opportunity for that in the temples. But here, even in the midst of a sacred mission, she found herself thinking of Edea in ways she had never thought of anyone before.

Edea's hand stroked her face as she maintained eye-contact and brought their lips together. A first kiss. Little touches of lips against lips, each pulling away after delicious seconds. Shadows of smiles appeared as they leant into each other again. They curled up in the bed as it became later, happy to be in each other's arms. Soon the kissing became habit, the two finding excuses to separate from the other three. Airy was the trickiest to avoid given her propensity for appearing out of nowhere. They took any excuse to duck around a corner and kiss, to burrow beneath a blanket to press their lips together for a too short moment. The regular contact induced a desire for more, to touch more skin. Hands strayed during embraces, stroking down backs, sliding along thighs. Agnes replied in kind to it all, the explorations of hands and fingers always pleasing but never quite fulfilling. There were other places to touch and explore, but neither seemed to have the nerve to make the first move. Agnes went to bed each night with a twitch of frustration, exhaustion pushing her to sleep despite the desire to be a touch Edea more. Their embraces escalated, nervous hands often delving beneath clothing to find skin. Even the touch of fingers on arms sent little electrical sparks shooting through Agnes's body.

It was not always happy. Agnes drew away from Edea as she let slip those elements of her past she had refrained from admitting. Each felt like a betrayal, each exposing once again that her partner had not been honest. If she could hide these parts of her, to obscure what she did and did not know, how then could Agnes view their times together? She became colder, distant, the action hurting her and she could see upsetting Edea too. But she could not let this slide. Edea apologized more than once, never trying to resume anything between them. Agnes watched as Edea never abandoned the group, worked harder, fought with more vigor. She had already abandoned his way of life; that she would turn against her teacher convinced Agnes that Edea could be no traitor. The first kiss after Starkfort was glorious.

They made love while the Grand Ship sailed through the sky towards Eternia. Alone in their room, they kissed, a new found desire to touch consuming them both. They were thankful to have survived their journey into the depths of the vessel and the fight with the creature lurking there. And now they were higher than the Eschalot had taken them, freed from the ground and the water. So many different thoughts crowded Agnes's head, her hands now struggling with Edea's garments. They had touched under clothes before, but now Agnes wanted as much contact as possible. She wanted Edea's clothes off, but conceded defeat as the fastening and nature of the outfit outwitted her.

"How. Do your. Clothes. Fit together?" Agnes said between kisses, hands gliding over warm skin.

Edea smirked beneath her, fingers untying the cord that secured the Vestal's dress. Edea had already stripped Agnes's tights away, but the Vestal made no progress with her partner's pants. "There is a sort of knack to it," Edea said as she tugged the dress upwards. Agnes let it slide over her head leaving her wearing the least she ever had in one of these encounters.

"You're overdressed." Agnes said, face flushed and nervous.

"Maybe. Want to help even me out?"

Agnes nodded and as they kissed again, Edea's hands guided her to hidden buttons, zips and folds. The Vestal's fingers danced across the clothing, peeling it away as Edea resumed the removal of Agnes's. It became like opening a present, a slow reveal of layer upon layer of wrapping, the present within becoming visible. There was embarrassment here too, how old-fashioned her unmentionables looked compared to Edea's.

Edea removed the last of Agnes's clothing without comment, hands and lips now touching bare skin. Agnes followed suit leaving them both naked, arms around each other and chests together. Edea stared into her eyes as she trailed a hand down Agnes's body, stroking across her belly and sliding between her legs. Agnes gasped as the fingers touched her, moved across her and pushed inside her. Her hands gripped at Edea's thighs, wanting to respond in kind but the pleasure was too intense. It was all too overwhelming and she lost herself in the inquisitive movements of her partner's fingers.

She sucked in a deep breath and let out a loud gasp as something snapped within her. The pleasurable sensations from a moment before now too intense. As warm pulse washed through her she collapsed forward, head resting against Edea's shoulder.

"Thank you," she said at last sitting up again to see Edea's flushed and smiling face. "Would you like me to return the favour?"

"Yes, please," said Edea her smile widening. Agnes skimmed her hand down Edea's body trying to replicate similar movements for her. She felt pleased as Edea's eyes closed at her touch, her mouth falling open and her breathing intensifying.


End file.
